Ventilator.



No. 630,34I.

(N6 Model.)

Patented Aug. 8, I899. J. N. GARBER.

VENTILATOB.

(Application filed Dec. 15, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3. r

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES N. GARBER, OF BAYS, OHIO.

VENTILATOR.

srncirrcA'rron formingpart or Letters Patent 1%. 63Q,341, dated August8, 1899. Applioatioii filed December 15,1898. Serial mama. on ma.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

v Be it known that LJAMES N. GARBER,a citizen of the United States,residing at Bays, in the county of Wood and State of Ohio, have inventedcertain newand useful Improvements in Ventilators; andldohereby declarethe following to be afull, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

In storing or transporting vegetables or fruit it is essential to theirpreservation that they be kept at a comparatively low temperature, forotherwise their heating will cause their destruction or damage bydecomposition. Vast quantities of fruit and vegetables are damaged eachyear because proper provision is not made for keeping them sufficientlyc001 and ventilated when lying in bins or sheds or while in transit infreight-cars. Proper ventilation and. circulation of air through themwhen thus stored or whilebeing transported are essential, and whileprovision has heretofore been made in'this respect, particularlyinfreight-cars, so far as I am aware the car or bin has been speciallybuilt to accomplish the desired result, and no suitable provision hasbeen made for the ventilation of vegetables or fruit in bins, sheds, orcars as ordinarily constructed, and as these are in more general usethan the more expensive speciallybuilt ventilating cars or bins vastquantities of fruit and vegetables are damaged or completely ruinedyearly.

I propose in the present invention to provide an improvedventilatingdevice or structure which can be applied to any shed, bin, car, or otherreceptacle or vehicle for storing or transporting fruit or vegetableswhereby the desired ventilation and circulation of air through any andall parts of the fruit or vegetables can be obtainedby natural draftwithout necessitating changes or modifications of any kind whatever inthe bin, shed, or car to which the improved device is applied andaffording a convenient, inexpensive, and easilyinstalled structure whichwill accomplish its purpose in the most satisfactory manner.

Having-thisobject in View, the invention consists of a structure orair-circulating and ventilating system of the improved construc- V tionhereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a perspective 'view of mycomplete invention. Fig.2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal section taken through one of th e vertical partitions. Fig.4 is a' transverse section through one of the end sections. Fig. 5 is asimilar view through the central section. Fig. 6 is a detail perspectiveview show- 7 ing the manner of securing the vertical partitions to thebase. Fig. 7 is a similar view of one of the cross-braces and the mannerof securing same. "Fig; Sis an end elevation showing the members of onesection folded and laid together as for transportation.

The invention will be shown and described as adapted for use on anordinary box or freight car used for transporting fruit or vegetables,although it is obvious it can be applied to bins, sheds, or otherreceptacles, as I have before stated.

llhere are three sections A, B, and O, which constitute the device. Theend sections A 'and O are duplicates, and the center section difiersfrom them but slightly. Each end section is composed of two longitudinalhalves 1 and 2, hinged together at 3, so that they can be folded one onthe other in compact arrangement when desired." Each half comprises arectangular frame of timbers 4 and parallel cross-timbers 5, all ofwhich have numerous air or ventilating slots or openings 6 andclosely-spaced slats 7 extending from end to end ofthe' frame across thetop thereof. Midway the width of each hinged half one or' moresl'ats'are, omitted for the accommodation of projecting timbers on theventilating walls.

The upright walls 8 and 9 each consist of regularly-spaced verticalsolid timbers 10, having projecting lower ends 10, which fit in thespaces between the timbers of the respective halves 1 and 2 and againstsaid timbers,

top timbers 11, havingventilating slots or openings 12, and sets ofparallel regularlyspaced slats 13 and 14, secured to opposite sides ofthe vertical timbers. The end vertical timbers 10 have shoulders 15,which rest on the end timbers of the base-frame and themselves fit innotches 10 in said end timbers, and the lower slats of the sets 13 andlet also rest on the slats of the base, thus supporting and steadyingthe said walls. The outer ends of the walls are steadied and connectedby a brace 16, which fits in between them and is provided with bars 17and 18, having slots19, which receive staples 20 on the top timbers ofthe walls, and hooks 21,

pivoted to the bars, are adapted to engage the staples. One longitudinalhalf of each section has a hook 22 and the other longitudinal half aneye 23 for securing them together when folded upon each other.

The center section B is constructed the same as sections A and 0 exceptin the particulars I will now describe. Both longitudinal halves ofsection B have a portion of the outermost timber of the frame 4 omitted,thus providing the large air spaces or ducts 24 and 25 between thecross-tim bers 5 at the points where the car-doors are located. At thesepoints the air enters and ramilies the remaining parts of the structure.Instead of employing a single straight top timber for the walls, as inthe end sections A and C at 11, the walls are cut out from the topdownward at 26 in line with the car-doors, the top timbers 11 beingprovided for these cut-out portions. The cutting away of the walls ofthe center section is to permit more easy loading, "of the car.

The three sections are placed end to end,

the ventilating-openings in the end timbersof the respective base-framesregistering with each other and secured together by hooks 27 on thecenter section and eyes 28 on the end sections. To insure a rigid andproper con-s nection of the sections, particularly the walls,

the top timbers 11 are notched or grooved at 29 and fastening-loops 30are employed. Theseloops are of rod-iron and of rectangularshape, withboth ends turned up at3l. straddle the juxtaposed wall ends,

to the top of the car and out the usual screens or openings at the endsof the latter. The constant circulation of air through the produce keepsit at a proper temperature, preventing heating and decomposition. Inunloading the car the center section of the device is first unloaded,being nearest the doors,

and when the walls are reached they are removed and strips or slats areinserted in the space they occupied in order to prevent the produce fromfalling through.

Any number of the sections can be employed, and the shapes can be variedto suit requirements, as the invention can be used in any place wherevegetables, fruit, or other produce is to be stored, and I do not limitmyself to the use of the precise constructions and instrumentalitiesherein shown and The loops and they cross-pieces of said loops lie inthe grooves 29.

The vegetables or fruit are packed on they described, but consider thatI am entitled to all such changes and modifications as come within thespirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A ventilator for fruit, vegetables, and other produce, comprising aportable base and upright walls which are detachably secured to thebase, said base and walls being provided with ventilating air-passages,and

on which the produce is to bestored, whereby the air-currents areafforded access to all parts of the produce.

2. A ventilator for fruit, vegetables, and other produce, comprising aportable base composed of separate parts hinged together so as to befoldable, and upright walls detachably connected to the base, said baseand walls being provided with ventilating airpassages and on which theproduce is to be stored, whereby the air-currents are afforded access toall parts of the produce.

3. A ventilator for fruit, vegetables, and other produce, comprising aventilating-base, on which the produce is to be stored, uprightventilating-walls detachably secured to the base, and a brace extendingbetween and detachably connected to the walls.

4:. A ventilator for fruit, vegetables, and other produce, comprising aventilating-base on which the produce is to be stored, ventilating-wallsdetachably connected to the base and arising therefrom, staples on thewalls, and a brace fitted in between the walls and provided with barshaving slots which receive the staples, and hooks adapted to engage withthe staples.

5. A ventilator for fruit, vegetables, and other produce, comprising abase having a top and ventilating-openings in its sides com municatingwith the space beneath the top, and upright walls secured to the base,which consist of upright timbers, a top timber hav-' ingventilating-openings, and sets of separated slats secured to oppositesides of the upright timbers, the air-spaces in the walls being incommunication with the air-space in the base.

6. A ventilator for fruit, vegetables and other produce, comprising abase composed of a frame having cross-timbers and a top or coveringtherefor and provided with ventilating-openings communicating with thespace beneath the top, said covering or top having air-openings andhollow walls having ventilating-openings and provided with projectionsadapted to enter the spaces in the top of the base and to be disposedagainst the crosstimbers thereof, said walls resting on the base,

whereby the walls are held in position with their interiors in aircommunication with the air-space of the base.

7'. A ventilator for fruit, vegetables, and other produce, comprisingaventilating-base, composed of separate and connected sections, uprightventilating-walls for each base-section which are in alinement with eachother, and detachable clasps or connectors securing the alined wallstogether.

8. A ventilator for fruit, vegetables, and other produce, comprising aventilating-base composed of separate and connected sections, uprightventilating-Walls for each base-section which are in alinement and haveengaging devices, and connectors or clasps consistin g of elongatedloops straddling the adjacent alined ends of the walls and provided withupturned ends which bridge the respective walls and are held by theengaging devices thereon.

9. A ventilator adapted for use in cars for holding fruit, vegetablesand other produce, comprising a ventilating-base and ventilat- 1ng-wallsarising therefrom which are cutout or depressed from their topdownwardly opposite the car-doors.

10. A ventilator adapted for use in cars for holding fruit, vegetables,and other produce, comprising a ventilating-base composed of abase-frame and top, both having air-openin gs and the base-frame beingalso provided with large air-ducts leading into it at points oppositethe doors of the car.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES N. GARBER.

Witnesses:

C. R. PAINTER, EDWARD M. FRIES.

